Rock, Royalty and Renovations at Fairfield Halls

By Mark Castle | May 14, 2019
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From The Beatles to Eric Clapton, stars have been gracing the stage at Fairfield Halls in Croydon for over half a century. But in 2016, this iconic Croydon landmark was scheduled for a well-deserved upgrade. We were delighted to be a part of it. And from bagging awards to entertaining royal visitors, there was never a dull moment!

What needed to be done?

The Fairfield renovation is a massive project which involves installing new services, lighting, toilets… You name it! Our team were brought in to drill holes and create channels for all the new electrical wiring, plumbing and ducting. We also created larger openings for new doorways, air conditioning units and the new sprinkler system.

Why were Castle and Pryor called in?

We’ve worked for this client before and they knew we had the expert team and the kit to do the job.

Rolling out the red carpet

Fairfield Halls is no stranger to famous faces. But they’re usually on stage rather than on site! Last week, Prince Edward popped in to see how works were progressing with the hall’s renovations. He had a chat with the team and was keen to hear about how the work was going, and how it’s going to impact the new venue.

What was the challenge?

Here at Castle and Pryor, we’re known for our commitment to Health and Safety. In fact, we won the Safest Contractor award twice on this site! Although we had teams of up to eight on site during this project, we made sure there was a minimum of two people working at all times.

Why? Mainly because the work involved a lot of concrete chasing, which includes cutting and breaking - so its high-vibration. By having a minimum of two people working onsite at all times, we were able to keep the project progressing without increasing our team’s risk of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS).

There were also some awkward areas to work in. So we did a bit of angle drilling and used a suction rig to drill in tight spaces.

What equipment did we use?

Hand saws (for accessibility)

Hydraulic breakers

Core drilling rig

Grinder, dust vac and breaker (for chasing)

We also used a small floor saw to cut a chase in the main foyer. Just to keep things neat!

Safe to say, we were in the spotlight

We were chuffed to be awarded the Safest Contractor award twice while we were working at Fairfield. The winner is chosen by Vinci, the main contractor, for excellent workmanship, effective dust-control and safe practices across the board. Well done, team!

What will the result be for Fairfield Halls?

A state of the art concert hall that Croydon can be proud of again! Once we’re finished, the hall will be ready for internal fitting, ready for its big reveal in September 2019.

Looking for an award-winning contractor to fill your next leading role? Get in touch with us for a free quote today.